


take it easy on my heart

by fiveandnocents



Series: nervous breakthrough [2]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DC Animated Universe, The Flash - All Media Types, Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, Jealousy, M/M, Minor Violence, Mutual Pining, Post-Season/Series 02 AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-21
Updated: 2017-05-21
Packaged: 2018-11-03 11:03:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10965918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fiveandnocents/pseuds/fiveandnocents
Summary: Tim just has to make sure they’re okay because ifthey’renot okay, the people who heknowslove each other more than anyone else in the world, how are Conner and him supposed to make it and - oh.So maybe he does know why he’s so invested.





	take it easy on my heart

**Author's Note:**

> I have no clue where this came from. For some reason my heart of hearts just told me that this world needed an outside perspective on Dick and Wally's relationship and that just culminated in some Tim Drake angst. 
> 
> Title from Mercy by Shawn Mendes because Tim's teen heart needs some tender love.

Tim loves when Wally visits the Watchtower. 

There was a time when he never would've imagined that it would happen. Wally had been gone for 2 years, Dick had finally stopped looking for him (at least openly. Tim has no doubts that Dick kept searching even after he rejoined the team), and Bart stopped frowning every time he saw himself in the Kid Flash uniform. 

Then Wally came back. 

He showed up at Wayne Manor of all places, barreling through the front door and leaving skid marks on the floor that Alfred would politely frown about later. They'd all been there - Dick, Tim, Bruce and now Damian - for the monthly family dinner that Alfred insisted on and before they could even react, (which in hindsight, Tim realizes that means that Wally was going _unreasonably_ fast if Batman himself hadn't reacted) he'd stumbled into the dining room, bracing himself on the archway and grinning. 

Tim doesn't remember much after that, everything else seems like a blur after seeing what was essentially an actual ghost, but he does remember how Dick had held Wally like he was afraid he'd disappear again if he didn't and how Wally had just smiled softly and stroked Dick's hair. 

That should've been Tim's first indication that Wally was different than he was when he left. Before, he would've laughed or made a joke about how Dick clung to him, but instead he buried his face in Dick’s neck and just breathed. 

Then there was the speed. 

Wally wasn't exactly slow before, but he had been obviously slower than Barry and Bart (Tim flinches and tries to ignore the reason that it was obvious). he wasn't constantly a speedster in the way Bart had been, he'd talked at a normal speed, could keep conversation without his eyes flickering around to take in everything at once, and he didn't even fidget the way Bart did. Now though, he could stop running on a dime - _the skid marks on arrival were the exception_ , Wally had winked, _It happens when you jump dimensions_ \- and he could stand still when needed, but there always seemed to be a thrum of energy under his skin. Tim suspected that Wally was faster than everyone now. 

When he asks Wally about it, how he got so fast, Wally says, "I had to train with the best to get fast enough to jump dimensions. I held back a lot here, you know? I didn't know how to push myself and Flash didn't know what my limits were."

"Who'd you train with?" Tim asks.

Wally's grin stretches for miles as he says, "Me."

His visits are rare, about once every month at best, but whenever he does show up, Bart brightens and him and Wally talk in super speed for a good 5 minutes until Gar jumps in, clinging to Wally's neck and demanding his attention. Conner just gives Wally a one-armed hug and lets Cassie and La'gaan swarm him and ask about his latest mission with the league. Jaime wraps an arm around Bart's shoulder and laughs at his pout when Wally's attention is dragged away from him. Later, he helps M'gaan cook dinner and Tim can hear their laughter from where he's lounging on the couch. 

When Dick walks in during dinner, Tim sees Wally's eyes light up. They make lighthearted jabs at each other and kick at each other’s legs during dinner until it ends with their ankles wrapped around each other. When Dick leaves to debrief with Batman, Tim can't _not_ notice the way Wally's eyes linger and slide down Dick's body as he walks away. He blushes when he realizes that since he can see the way Wally's eyes linger at the dip of Dick's spine because it means that Wally is taking his time. 

That night, when Tim's throat is so dry that he can't ignore the burn, he stumbles upon Wally and Dick on the couch on his way to the kitchen. Dick has his feet in Wally's lap and Wally plays with his toes as he tells some story Tim can't quite make out. 

Dick's glasses are off and Tim doesn't know why he's shocked because he _knew_ that Wally knew. He'd been in _Wayne Manor_ ; there’s no way he couldn’t have known. It's just that knowing something and seeing it here of all places - seeing the ultimate form of Dick's trust in someone that isn't part of their family - is a huge difference. 

Wally shakes Dick's feet high above his head and imitates a crowd of applause, waving Dick's legs like a lighter at a concert. Dick throws his head back and laughs, uncensored and so, vibrantly _happy_. Tim grins to himself, happy that Dick can relax like this again. It'd been rare, since Jason, and especially since Wally had been gone. 

He can't see Dick's face, but he can see the way Wally's eyes soften and the way his smile spreads like liquid across his lips, slow and languid. Tim can only gape in understanding as he watches unabashed affection radiate from Wally as he grins and keeps Dick's feet in a vice grip. He runs his fingertips along the arch of his heel to make Dick shriek in laughter and attempt to kick him away. 

Tim leaves. His throat screams at him for it, but he can't bring himself to interrupt. 

\-------

Wally comes back the next week, sooner than usual and everyone is surprised, but just as thrilled as usual. Everything seems lighter, joy practically radiating off the walls and even though it should be annoying to have so much noise around so suddenly, Tim can't find it in himself to be upset. Conner sits on the couch with him and reaches an arm behind the back of it, fingertips barely an inch away from Tim's shoulder as they watch Wally and Jaime arm wrestle on the floor. The atmosphere is warm and friendly, everyone laughing in the main room as Jaime tries to cheat using his armor, and Tim would never want to be anywhere else. 

Then Nightwing shows up. 

The air in the room falls about ten degrees when he shows up, clad in full uniform - Tim doesn't remember the last time he saw Dick in uniform at the tower - and he has to know Wally is here, but he's got a scowl on his face anyway. 

Wally looks up at that exact moment, his mouth turned into an uncharacteristic frown (and it's like they're so attuned to each other's presence that they knew when the other was near) and he says, "Took you long enough," in such a dry, cold tone that Tim thinks that it can't have come from Wally. 

He's never seen Wally look so angry, especially not at Dick and Tim just doesn't get it. Just last week he saw them being...something and now he feels like he's missing something big. 

Dick rolls his eyes (or at least Tim assumes. No one can see, but they all just _know_ ) and Tim's jaw drops when Dick snarks, "What are you even doing here?"

"Can't exactly find you in the real world when you won't tell me where you live."

Tim gets it, because Dick moved apartments in Bludhaven not even 4 days ago. What he doesn't get it is why Dick would ever keep that a secret from Wally of all people. 

Dick just scoffs and walks towards the training room; Wally follows without comment. 

Tim turns to Conner, who's looking at his friends’ retreating backs with a wrinkle between his brows. "What happened between them?" Because Dick refused to talk about Wally to Tim or Bruce ever since he's been back even when they weren't being hostile, but Wally isn't nearly as secretive. 

Conner sighs and gives Tim a weak smile. "Don't worry about it." He ruffles Tim's hair like he's some stupid kid and Tim blushes when Conner's hand follows the curve at the back of Tim's neck as he pulls away. 

Later, when Tim hides away in his room to avoid Conner and Jaime and everyone else who just acts like they're so much _older_ (and he should be over this damnit; he's 17 years old and he still feels like a child) he hacks into the security cameras to watch Dick and Wally spar. 

The longer he watches, the more uncomfortable he gets because it's becoming abundantly clear that they're not just sparring. Dick doesn't hold back any of his punches and at one point he slams his escrima sticks into Wally's stomach so hard that Wally freezes long enough for Tim to see him as something other than a blur. He would feel bad for him if Wally hadn't been unfairly using his full speed, knocking Dick hard to the ground whenever he's lucky enough to make contact. 

They never speak. 

Tim turns off the live feed after five minutes and when he goes to sleep he just feels cold. 

\--------

Wally doesn't visit for another two months after that, but when he does he's just as happy and welcoming as the first time. This time, Bart is able to monopolize his time and it's well into the evening when Dick shows up again. And it is Dick this time, Tim thinks, because for the first time in months Dick comes to watch a movie with the rest of the team in his sweats and a dark tee that hangs low on his neckline. He looks smaller without the Kevlar and mask and when he curls himself into a corner of the couch next to Gar, he looks softer, more like a real person instead of the unflinching leader he's been lately. 

Tim is squished between Wally and Conner and where Conner is a solid unmoving furnace against Tim's side that Tim may or may not want to sink in to, Wally is fidgeting and throwing popcorn into Bart's mouth and making comments about the movie every couple minutes. When Dick walks in, Wally freezes. Tim glances at him out of the corner of his eye and he shuffles closer to Conner at the look on Wally's face. 

He's openly staring at Dick and he looks livid, eyes poisonous green and his lips in a narrow line. Tim follows his gaze to Dick's neck and - oh. There's a dark purpling bruise peeking out of the collar of Dick's shirt which in and of itself is not that odd, but it's abundantly clear that the bruise is from someone's mouth and not from some punch to the throat. It could be accidental, how the bruise barely shows, but this is Dick and nothing he does is accidental. 

Wally doesn't say anything to Dick that night. When they end up sparring and Tim guiltily spies on them again, nothing changes. 

\----------

A month later, Wally is going to visit tonight, or so Bart says, and Tim finds Conner and Dick in the library. 

At first he's shocked. Absolutely no one uses the library except for him (and Bart that one week he read every book in the room), but then he sees the way that Dick is cornering Conner against a bookcase and how Conner's hands are on Dick's hips. Suddenly, he completely understands how Wally felt seeing Dick with a hickey. He feels sick to his stomach as he watches Dick lean closer and whispers, "Come on, just one more time." 

Tim hates Dick in this moment. Tim may have not noticed before, but now that he realizes that Conner left that mark all those weeks ago, it feels like betrayal. Dick _knows_ , he has to know because Tim isn't subtle enough to fool Alfred, let alone an actual detective. 

Conner just rolls his eyes and says, "This isn't going to help," but he leans in to suck marks high onto Dick's neck, right at the junction below his jawline. 

Tim wants to throw up. 

Dick laughs, but it's harsh and cold, nothing like how he used to laugh with Wally. He bares his neck more and grips Conner's arms. "You gotta do more than that Supey."

Conner just squeezes Dick's hips harder, hard enough to bruise and maybe that was Dick's intention because he smiles and lets out a pleased sigh of affirmation. 

Tim should leave. His heart feels like it's beating out of his chest and like it's withering away at the same time. He doesn't want to see this because it _hurts_ and even though this is clinical and passionless, he knows what Conner looks like in these situations he won't forget about it, but he'll know that Conner was with Dick and it's so much worse than he thought it would feel. 

After what feels like 10 painful, awkward minutes, but can really only be two at most, Conner pulls away and asks, "Good?"

Dick pulls away, lifts up his shirt and looks at the bruises already darkening there. He grins at Conner. "Good."

When Wally sees Dick that night, with dark bites all the way up his neck - and Dick didn't even bother to try to hide them _of course_ \- he outright glares, and when Dick reaches up to return a hi-five from Barbara, Dick's shirt lifts up just enough to expose the distinctly clear, finger-shaped bruises blooming across his hips. Tim's not even surprised when Wally completely loses it. 

"What's wrong with you?" he yells, throwing the video game controller on the floor and narrowly missing a terrified Bart. 

"You are!" Dick screams back and it's like all of the tension the last couple of months finally bursts and they're hurling insults at each other and shoving each other’s shoulders. Bart had the sense to run away as soon as Wally started up, but Tim can't look away, frozen still by seeing Dick so unhinged. 

"You don't get to be upset, Wally! I'm from this dimension remember? I'm _nothing_ to you here!" Dick yells, and his voice cracks halfway through his last sentence, the only thing indicating he's more than just angry. 

"Maybe I just think you're making yourself look bad!" Wally fires back, gesturing at the marks on Dick's neck. "You think anyone wants to see that? It's just obnoxious!"

"Oh, that's hilarious coming from _you_. No one else cares Wally!"

And Tim has to be going insane because before he can stop himself he croaks out, "I do."

They freeze, turning to look at him and it's clear that they didn't even realize he was still there. That should remind Tim that he needs to leave, but he feels stuck to the floor as Dick meets his eyes. 

His throat feels tight and he stutters out, "You knew how I..." And he can't actually say it, "...about him." And Dick looks like he doesn't get it for the briefest of moments until Tim's gaze slips to Dick's neck without his permission and Dick's eyes light up with realization. 

"Oh, Timmy..." Dick immediately scrambles to pull the collar of his shirt to cover his neck, but all it does is show the bruises on hips and Tim feels like he can't breathe. 

He doesn't know what Wally sees in his face, but whatever it is, it prompts Wally to give Dick his jacket so he can zip it up all the way up his neck and thankfully cover everything up. 

The jacket is too short in the torso and too broad on Dick's shoulders and Tim has to be crazy because all he feels at the sight is happy. He should be furious, raving about how unfair it is that Dick gets both Wally _and_ Conner, but he's just happy that they're taking care of each other for the first time in a long time. 

"Tim, it's not like that," Dick pleads, reaching out for him. 

Tim flinches back and his sense must kick in at this point because he blurts out, "I have to go." And he's not too ashamed to say he hides in his room for the rest of the night. 

\----------

He wakes up to firm and insistent knocking on his door and Tim buries his face in his pillow. He doesn't want to talk to Dick right now. He doesn't know when he'll be willing to, but it's definitely not how he wants to start his day.

As the knocking continues, Tim lifts his head from the pillow curiously. Because that isn't Dick at his door; Dick would've left quietly after the third knock to give Tim the space he needs. Whoever is at his door is persistent, he'll give them that. 

Honestly, he expected Wally. Which is probably why he's so surprised to see Conner in his doorway, annoyed scowl on his face and arm raised to knock again. 

He freezes when he sees Tim and his scowl drops into an open-mouthed gape. Tim blushes, knows he's sleep ruffled and his eyes must be bloodshot - his _eyes_. 

He panics, trying to shut the door and grab his glasses at the same time, but before he knows what's happening (for fuck’s sake, Batman would be so disappointed in Tim this morning) Conner has his wrist in a firm, yet gentle grip and his other hand grips Tim's hip from where it's wrapped around his waist. 

Conner is _kissing_ him. It's not the soft, shy kind of kiss Tim always imagined he'd give Conner when he finally built up the courage to ask him out. Conner kisses him like he has something to prove. So Tim lets him lead, lets Conner run his tongue across the roof of Tim's mouth and swallow the small squeak he lets out as Conner lifts him and lays him on the bed without breaking away. 

Tim loses track of time. 

All he can focus on is the feel of Conner's lips on his, his hands touching _everywhere_ like they can't get enough of Tim. Eventually though, Conner slows down. He kisses lazily at Tim's jaw as he runs his hands down Tim's sides and it's almost nicer than the frenzied kisses of before because now Tim feels like he's being cherished. 

He doesn't say anything. He doesn't know what this means or why and he doesn't really want to know. 

Except for how he apparently does because he blurts, "What about Dick?"

Conner doesn't stop kissing him, which should be a good sign, but Tim still feels sick with nerves. "What do you mean?" Conner murmurs against the bare skin of Tim's stomach once he lifts his shirt up. 

And this is getting increasingly awkward because Conner's breath is warm and so close to his waistband and this is a little overwhelming when all he can think about is if Dick was in this same position before. 

"Conner, stop." Tim appreciates how quickly Conner backs away, how he pulls Tim's shirt back down to cover him up again and sits up to give him space. Before Conner can apologize - and Tim knows it's coming - Tim says, "I saw you in the library yesterday."

Conner grimaces like the thought makes him uncomfortable, which - of course it does, Tim would be just as uncomfortable if someone walked in on him right now. 

Conner sighs and flops down next to Tim on the bed. He runs his hand through his hair and Tim can't keep his eyes off the muscles in Conner's forearms. And he's still wearing his _gloves_ how did Tim not notice that -

"Nothing's going on between me and him, I swear. He's just an idiot that wanted to make Wally jealous instead of talk it out."

When he says it, Tim realizes that he's not surprised. He had a hunch that was the case; their embrace in the library wasn't exactly filled with passion, but he needed to hear it. He had to _know_. 

"What's going on with them?" Tim twists onto his side so that it doesn't strain his neck to keep looking at Conner. He reaches out to run his hand over Conner's bicep where his arm is folded under his head. Conner smiles at him and stretches his arm out to wrap around Tim and settle Tim's head on his shoulder. 

"The Wally and Dick from that other dimension were a couple. They were together since Dick was 13 apparently or.. since that Dick was 13." Tim can feel Conner suppressing a fond laugh as he says, "Wally even went to their wedding."

Tim doesn't smile, but it must show in his eyes how he wants to because Conner just smiles softly back at him. 

"I guess they'd only ever dated each other. Our Wally never told me, but I know he liked that. So when he got back here and the Dick from our dimension," Conner looks away, uncomfortably staring at the ceiling," Well...he isn't like that. And Wally's being an idiot about it."

Tim frowns and hums in reply. The rumors about Dick may be exaggerated, but they're true on the base level. Dick has gotten around, but the fact that Wally is judging him for it makes Tim bitter. If he were more confrontational he'd scream at Wally about his double-standard because it's not like Artemis (or even pre-age 17 Wally, what the fuck) never happened. He can only imagine how Dick feels. Reunited with the best friend he's loved since they’d met and that same friend judging him for trying to move on from something that never even existed between them. 

Tim wonders if Wally is in love with the Dick from the other dimension and his heart hurts in sympathy, because he saw how Dick fell apart when Wally was gone and if Wally questions Dick's devotion then he's blind as well as stupid. 

Conner sighs, but there's more force behind it now, like he's actually getting angry instead of just resigned. "And Dick just wants to throw it in his face. If Wally won't be with him, he'll show him how many other people want to be. He hasn’t done that since Wally's been back, but Wally doesn't know that." 

"So you and Dick never..." Tim hates himself sometimes because now is really not the time. 

To his surprise, Conner turns slightly red and shuffles around like he's uncomfortable and before Tim can feel his stomach drop, Conner mumbles, "No, I was with M'gaan for years and then, uh, when I broke up with her you were already on the team." And Tim realizes that Conner's embarrassed for admitting that he's had a crush on Tim for years when it's honestly all Tim's wanted. 

Kissing Conner seems like the right thing to do, so he does. When Conner rolls over to press him back into mattress, he lets himself drift for a while. 

\---------

Later - _hours_ later - Tim is sneaking down to the kitchen again because if anyone is sneaky enough to get them both a snack without having to deal with anyone, it’s clearly him. Or at least they’d thought that, but apparently Tim has a gift for interrupting moments he shouldn’t be a part of.

Dick and Wally are leaning against the hallway, Wally’s head resting on Dick’s collarbone as he clutches at Dick’s shirt. Tim can’t tell where Dick is looking; the fact that he kept his sunglasses on even when they were alone speaks volumes about how broken their relationship is. 

He’s far enough away that he can’t hear exactly what they’re saying, but he pieces together Wally’s consistent mantra of, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, you mean everything to me.” Slowly, as Tim backs away (without getting what he wants from the kitchen _again_ , they owe him so much at this point), he sees Dick’s arms slowly come up to cautiously rest on Wally’s shoulders. 

\---------

Things aren’t perfect right away. 

Tim wishes he could report that everything fixes itself and Dick and Wally have their fairy tale ending, but relationships are hard and they’ve both hurt each other too many times recently to be immediately okay.

He worries about them in a completely unsubtle way and as much as Conner tries to distract him, he feels the need to hover when he can hear them fighting in the halls. He manages it for maybe 2 minutes at a time, but Conner always finds him and coaxes him away with a few well placed kisses.

He doesn’t know what’s wrong with him. It’s objectively none of his business if they work out their issues and that’s just fact. 

Then there’s a day where he can’t hear anything at all. No laughter, no squabbling, no full out screaming matches. 

Tim can’t rationally explain the sudden panic that grips him. He just knows that he has to find them. Just to make sure they’re okay because if _they’re_ not okay, the people who he _knows_ love each other more than anyone else in the world, how’re Conner and him supposed to make it and - oh. So maybe he does know why he’s so invested.

He has approximately .3 seconds to process his emotionally stunted revelation because, like always, he stumbles upon Dick and Wally on the couch.

Something in Tim’s chest loosens when he sees them because finally, _finally_ they look right. Dick’s glasses are off and his eyes are soft and warm where he’s looking up at where he’s carding his fingers through Wally’s hair. Wally’s murmuring words too low for Tim to hear against the skin of Dick’s free hand where he’s placing soft, barely-there kisses.

They don’t kiss. If they started then Tim would leave, but he just - he just needs to see that everything is going to be okay for a while.

**Author's Note:**

> This might need an alternate dimension prequel...


End file.
